


Beat Your Heart Out

by sartiebodyshots



Category: Falling Skies
Genre: Episode: s05e02, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-07
Updated: 2015-07-07
Packaged: 2018-04-08 05:26:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4292400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sartiebodyshots/pseuds/sartiebodyshots
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cochise tries to persuade Tom to rest.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Beat Your Heart Out

            Cochise notices Tom swaying when he steps off the barricade.  He approaches Tom carefully because the recent changes in his behavior have been somewhat startling to Cochise and have caused friction between them. 

            Setting a gentle hand on Tom’s shoulder, Cochise leans to whisper in his ear.  “Can I speak to you, Tom?”

            Tom looks at him with enough distrust to hurt, but he nods his assent. 

            Cochise guides him to their quarters, where they can talk privately.  He sets Tom on the bed and sits next to him.  “I believe you require rest, Tom.  You have not slept in quite some time.”

            “I’m fine, Cochise,” Tom says, growling and trying to get up.

            Cochise keeps ahold of his arm.  “You are tired.  You allowed your men to torture a skitter.  Your middle son is on a dangerous mission.  You have not had sufficient sustenance in days.  You require rest.” 

            Tom tugs his arm out of Cochise’s grip.  “Let me go.” 

            “You are going to kill yourself, Tom,” Cochise says.  “That is unacceptable.” 

            “I feel more energized than ever, Cochise.  You don’t understand,” Tom says, with a far away, wide eyed look.  “We can go all the way.  We’ve just got to push ourselves.”

            Cochise pulls him gently back to bed.  “I do understand.  This is something that I have seen before.”

            “No you haven’t,” Tom says.  “This rage, this anger is something that I didn’t know that I had inside me.  Watching the violence, having that thing at our mercy?  It felt good.”

            Cochise touches Tom’s face carefully, brushing away specks of dust from his beard.  “Volm have different ways of coping with the violence of our lives.  Some of us do so by turning it into sport, as your men have done.  Your species is different and more inventive than my own in many ways, but do not believe that when it comes to violence, you can surpass us.”

            Tom gets up on his knees and grabs his shoulders with the enthusiasm of a zealot.  “Then you should know how much we can harness this and use this and win!”

            “I have seen my comrades kill and hurt for fun, and many of them have gone on to do horrific things, things that you would torture yourself over later,” Cochise says.  “I believe there is a correlation.”

            “We need to be able to do those horrific things, Cochise,” Tom says.

            “It will cost you,” Cochise says sadly.

            “It’s worth it, for our children and grandchildren and for everyone who comes after us.  They might find what we do horrific- they can even judge us if they want- but at least they’ll be alive and safe,” Tom says.

            Cochise sighs deeply.  “Please, rest for a little bit.”

            “Okay,” Tom eventually relents, sounding angry about it.

            Cochise wraps himself around Tom when they lay down.  He holds his alien lover close, concerned about how he can feel Tom’s ribs even through his clothing. 

            Tom’s breathing slowly evens out, but when Cochise looks at his unconscious face, he still looks so angry. 

            “I love you,” Cochise says quietly, brushing his lips over Tom’s cheek.  “I will do what I can to protect you, even from yourself.”

            The only time when he can show such gentle affection without being overwhelmed by Tom’s rage is when he is asleep. 


End file.
